By
Fatimah Idera
The minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, had presented certificates of registration to two university-based unions amidst the ASUU strike.
The certificates were presented to the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) for their recognition and functionality.
In a statement signed by the National Coordinator of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu described the registration as monumental and historic by expressing gratitude to the federal government
The statement reads; “The registration of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), as a trade union in the Nigerian university system, is monumentally historic. The hurdles we have faced to get here, since 2018 when we submitted our application for registration, have been seemingly insurmountable. The registration is therefore the validation of the power of the human will. It asserts the value of courage, initiative, focus, tenacity, patience, forbearance and persistent positive thinking.
“We are immensely grateful to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and his team of diligent staff for insisting on merit, due process and thoroughness all through the processing of our application for the registration of CONUA. The very strict and dispassionate review of our application brought out the best in the membership of the union”
“In this journey, the invaluable role of the media cannot be discounted. We are truly grateful to the media, and look forward to furthering mutually beneficial interactions as we strive for the development of this nation.”
Meanwhile, the incessant face-off between ASUU and the government has led to the registration of CONUA which is said to exist alongside ASUU in the tertiary education system.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said the registration of the two new trade unions by the government for academic staff in the university system is inconsequential and does not pose any threat to its existence.
